Chapter 11
For once, Callen and Sam ate in silence at their favorite steak house. Their usual routine was conversing about the unclassified parts of their ops mission, but since they weren't on this ops together they found nothing to discuss.
Except, Sam kept eyeing him. He'd take several bites of steak, stop and glance his way. The behavior was starting to annoy Callen. He knew that was his partner's intention, annoy him enough that he'd ask what his problem was. After several rounds of Sam's behavior, Callen succumbed to his partner's request. "And?"
"Nothing," Sam said.
"You want me to share something?"
"You're awfully quiet."
"Now, if we were on the same ops we might have something to talk about."
"Back on that again?"
"Actually, I was thinking about the true meaning of doppelgänger," Callen said, smirking.
"I'll bite."
"Double walker."
"And where are you going with this, G?"
"Maybe there's just someone who looks like me and he has nothing to do with me or my family."
"You hope."
"More like I wish." He laughed. "Seriously, I've heard there's a double for every person on our planet."
"I thought you weren't into that new age, mumbo-jumbo."
"Is it new age to think there's a person who looks like me?"
"For you it is," Sam said, winking.
"A cool dip in a fountain sounds good just about now."
"You know there's another meaning to the word."
"I'm not sure I want to hear your version." He took another bite of his steak and sip of beer.
"A phantom self who is a harbinger of death."
"Okay, Sam, how's that going to work," he said. "Everyone in OPS saw the guy's picture."
"Are you certain?"
"I hope you're joking." Callen shot him a look. He hoped everyone had seen the photo.
A moment of silence passed between the two agents, each taking several sips of beer.
Sam smiled. "Gotcha, G."
"Damn, you did."
"You may have shot me your famous 'I'll get you for that' look, but I got you thinking."
"Yeah, I'll admit it."
"The only problem with your theory, and it is a theory, is this: If this guy isn't related to you in some way, he was at least part of a threat on your life."
Callen dropped his gaze from Sam's brown eyes to the table where his steak sat half-eaten on his plate. "I hate to be the harbinger of bad news, but no one has revealed this supposed threat on my life."
"That's going to cost you, G." He smiled. "Harbinger? There you go again latching onto little morsels."
"I love little morsels."
"You and Deeks and your little morsels."
"He's rubbed off on me."
"Yeah, I hear that."
Callen pushed his plate toward the table's center.
"Lost your appetite?"
"No, saving it for a great dessert."
"And a ten pound weight gain overnight?"
"At least I can exercise, I can't say the same for you."
"When is the last time you ran except after our suspects?"
"I run."
"Yeah, right, name one time."
"When I can't sleep, I run," Callen said. "Plus one of us needs to sober up before we get behind the wheel."
"One of us?" Sam raised his left eyebrow. "You're not driving my Challenger."
"Aw, don't want to share?"
"What do you want for dessert?"
"I could use a walk."
"What?" Sam leaned forward.
"Well, Hetty won't allow me outside NCIS headquarters without an armed bodyguard and a leash."
"So now I'm the dog walker?"
"No, the double walker." Callen smirked.
"Where's a fountain when you need one?"
"I'll have a slice of the devil's food cake." He winked at his partner.
"I guess we can both share in that delight."
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